HUM 2250 DraftSyllabus · 6) Bioethics Debate Preparation: 15 pts On Monday 13 April, we will hold in-class debates on two bioethical issues. Your preparation for these debates will

HUM 2250 – Spring 2019 ¨ Instructor: Dr. Rachel Mason Dentinger

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¨Introduction to Medical Humanities¨

Essentials Class Meetings: M/W, 8:05-9:25 AM, Life Sciences 107 Contacting Rachel: via Canvas or [email protected] Rachel’s office: Life Sciences 207 Rachel’s office hours: M, 9:30am-10:30am or by appointment Learning Objectives ¨Students will be able to critically analyze the differences between health and wellness, illness and disease, and the social and medical models of disease. ¨Students will be able to articulate the value of and roles played by narrative in the analysis of medical practice and personal medical experience. ¨Students will be able to recognize the role that social inequality—including gender, race, and disability—plays in the development and outcomes of disease. ¨Students will approach medical ethical dilemmas with an informed and critical mindset. ¨Students will appreciate the value of creative expression in revealing aspects of medicine and medical experience not otherwise apparent through a biomedical lens.

Required Texts ¨ Please make every effort to bring the assigned reading with you to class—whether a book, a printout, or a digital version on a device. All readings are available electronically, except for Steven Johnson’s, The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How it Changed Science, Cities and the Modern World, which you must purchase [available at the bookstore or online (used copies are approx. $7)]. The rest of the required readings will be posted as pdfs on Canvas and/or linked in the syllabus.


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Assessment 1) Six Reading Responses: 6 x 3pts = 18 pts

Choose from weeks 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, or 13 For SIX of the eight weeks listed above, you will respond to the readings assigned for ONE day (either Monday OR Wednesday, due at the beginning of class) in at least 500 words (which is about 2 double-spaced pages). If you do a thorough job, referring to all of the readings for that day, you will get full credit, which will be recorded as 3 points. These will not be formally graded and need not have a thesis/argument, but they should be coherent and composed of complete sentences. If they are rushed/sloppy/incomplete, you will not get full credit. This is a chance for you to consider the questions that YOU have about the content, to make connections with content from other weeks or from current events, challenges you would make to the author’s argument, etc. Useful questions to consider: Why did I choose these particular readings? What do they have to say to each other?

2) Five Reading Quizzes: 5 x 1pts = 5 pts These short-answer quizzes will be given at random points in the semester.

3) Participation: 15 pts Because this class relies heavily on discussion, you are expected to be present and engaged. Aim to ask a question or make a comment at least once per week. When you are reading in preparation for the class, note down any doubts or questions that arise, and observations or quotations that pique your interest – even if you can’t fully explain your interest! These are likely points that intrigued or challenged your classmates as well, so share them with all of us.

4) Illness Narrative Essay = 40 pts Instructions and rubric on Mon 3 Feb; Due Wed 4 March.

5) Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) visit assignment: 10 pts. On Monday 16 March, we will not meet for class. Instead, you will visit the UMFA on your own schedule, completing a written assignment. Due Wednesday 18 March.

6) Bioethics Debate Preparation: 15 pts On Monday 13 April, we will hold in-class debates on two bioethical issues. Your preparation for these debates will be worth 15 points.

7) Final Un-Essay: 50 pts You are free to choose your own topic and format, in consultation with me. Instructions and rubric on Wed 18 March; Due Mon 20 April.

8) Un-Essay Presentation: 15 pts Scheduled on either 20 or 29 April, this will be based on your Un-Essay.

9) Two Presentation Reports: 2 x 1pt = 2pts These will be written in class, in response to your classmates’ presentation and turned in at the end of the period on 20 and 29 April.


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Grades A = 93-100% C = 73-76 A- = 90-92 C- = 70-72 B+ = 87-89 D+ = 67-69 B = 83-86 D = 63-66 B- = 80-82 D- = 60-62 C+ = 77-79 E = 59-0

Class Policies Electronics ¨ The use of phones will only be allowed in class when participating in classroom polls/quizzes. Tablets and laptops are allowed for taking notes, reading digital texts, or in the case of specific in-class tasks. Communications ¨ I will use Canvas to message you when I need to share information outside of class time. It is your responsibility to check Canvas frequently and/or make sure that Canvas emails you with new messages and information. Deadlines ¨ Late submissions will drop one percentage point for each day they are late. Exceptions will require detailed written documentation. Plagiarism ¨ Turnitin will be used to detect plagiarized text in assignments. The report should be produced when you upload your essay and you will be able to examine it right away. If your essay contains unattributed text (that is, text taken directly—verbatim or with only a few words changed here and there—from another’s writing without quotation or citations), you will be given a score of zero for the assignment. Severe cases will be reported to higher administration. Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the University's Code of Conduct as it pertains to plagiarism: http://www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html. In short, when you draw upon any source (class notes, an article, a website, a textbook, etc.), you must cite that source, whether you are quoting from it directly or only paraphrasing it. The basic idea here is that you can draw on someone else's idea(s),


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but you cannot spin someone else's idea(s) or words as your own. If you have ANY questions or doubts about what constitutes plagiarism please check with me—many students are unclear about this and you’re better safe than sorry! University Information and Policies Campus Safety ¨ The University of Utah values the safety of all campus community members. To report suspicious activity, call campus police at 801-585-COPS (801-585-2677). You will receive important emergency alerts and safety messages regarding campus safety via text message. For more information regarding safety and to view available training resources, including helpful videos, visit https://safeu.utah.edu The Americans with Disabilities Act ¨ The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services. Diversity/Inclusivity ¨ It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that I can make arrangements for you. Undocumented Student Support ¨ Immigration is a complex phenomenon with broad impact for those who are directly affected by it, as well as those who are indirectly affected through relationships with loved ones. If your immigration status presents obstacles to engaging in specific activities or fulfilling specific course criteria, confidential arrangements may be requested from the Dream Center. Arrangements with the Dream Center will not jeopardize your student status, your financial aid, or any other part of your residence. The Dream Center offers a wide range of resources to support undocumented students (with and without DACA) as well as students from mixed-status families. To learn more, please contact the Dream Center at 801.213.3697 or visit dream.utah.edu. Speak to me directly if there is anything I can do to support you. University Writing Center ¨ The University Writing Center is a free service available for all students of the University of Utah. It provides one-on-one assistance for all stages of the writing process, from generating ideas for topics, to improving analysis and clarity, to polishing finished drafts. The Center’s staff are trained to work with student writers from first semester freshmen through graduate school, and writers of all levels of ability are welcome. To schedule an appointment, call 587-9122 or stop by Marriott Library, 2nd floor.


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Student and Faculty Responsibilities ¨ All students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom setting, according to the Student Code explained in the Student Handbook. Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of the Code. The Code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc. Students should read the Code carefully and are responsible for the content. According to Faculty Rules and Regulations, it is the faculty’s responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, and I will do so, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee. Find the Student Code here: https://regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.php Addressing Sexual Misconduct ¨ Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a Civil Rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 135 Park Building, 801-581-8365, or the Office of the Dean of Students, 270 Union Building, 801-581-7066. For support and confidential consultation, contact the Center for Student Wellness, 426 SSB, 801-581-7776. To report to the police, contact the Department of Public Safety, 801-585- 2677 (COPS). Wellness Statement ¨ Central to this course is a broad concept of health and wellness. I believe that your personal health and wellness are essential to your success as a student. Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, cross-cultural differences, etc., can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in this course and at the University of Utah. Please speak with me before issues become problems. And, for helpful resources, contact the course-assigned SSA or the Center for Student Wellness at 801-581-7776 or www.wellness.utah.edu. Names, personal pronouns, and LGBT Resource Center ¨ Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student’s legal name as well as “Preferred first name” (if previously entered by you in the Student Profile section of your CIS account, which can be managed at any time). While CIS refers to this as merely a preference, I will honor you by referring to you with the name and pronoun that feels best for you in class or on assignments. Please advise me of any name or pronoun changes so I can help create a learning environment in which you, your name, and your pronoun are respected. The U of Utah has an LGBTQ Resource Center on campus. They are located in Room 409 in the Olpin Union Building. Hours: M-F 8-5pm. You can visit their website to find more information about the support they can offer, a list of events through the center and links to additional resources: http://lgbt.utah.edu/. Please also let me know if there is any additional support you need in this class. Learners of English¨ If you are an English language learner, please be aware of several resources on campus that will support you with your language and writing development.


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These resources include: the Writing Center (http://writingcenter.utah.edu/); the Writing Program (http://writing-program.utah.edu/); the English Language Institute (http://continue.utah.edu/eli/). Please let me know if there is any additional support you would like to discuss for this class.

HUM 2250 – Spring 2019 ¨ Instructor: Rachel Mason Dentinger Reading and Assignment Schedule

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Week Dates Topic Readings/Assignments

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Mon 6 Jan Intro

Wed 8 Jan

Wellness, illness, and disease.

Before class, read: -Barbara Ehrenreich, “Midlife Revolt” and The Nib Interview. -Lindy West, “Hello, I am Fat.” -Kenneth Boyd, “Disease, illness, sickness, health, healing and wholeness…”

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Mon 13 Jan

Epidemics in history and literature

Collaborative Reading—Instructions given in class on Wed 8 Jan: 1) Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Book II, Chs 47-54: https://tinyurl.com/y9p8ssop

AND Hippocrates, selections highlighted, Epidemics [430 BCE]. 2) Giovanni Boccaccio, excerpt from The Decameron [1353 CE]. 3) Daniel Defoe, selections highlighted, Journal of the Plague Year [1722 CE, describing 1664 CE].

Wed 15 Jan

Cholera in London

Before class, read: -Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map, “The Night-Soil Men” through “The Investigator” (pp1-79)

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Mon 20 Jan NO CLASS MLK Jr Holiday – UofU Rally and March: https://diversity.utah.edu/annual-events/mlk-2020/

Wed 22 Jan

Cholera in London

Before class, read: -Johnson, The Ghost Map, remaining chapters (pp81-228)

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Mon 27 Jan

RTTP: London 1854 Reacting To The Past (RTTP) game; Instructions and readings distributed in class prior to today.


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Wed 29 Jan

RTTP continued

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Mon 3 Feb

Personal narrative & the diagnostic quest

Before class, read: -Siri Hustvedt, excerpt from The Shaking Woman or a History of My Nerves. -Ross Simonini, “Trapped inside my body”: https://story.californiasunday.com/escape-body -Michael Sappol, “My Quest for Health” *Introduce Illness Narrative Essay Assignment (Due Wed 4 March)

Wed 5 Feb

Being Black in medicine: Doctors & nurses

Before class, read: -Hauser, “’Are you actually an M.D.?’”: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/us/delta-black-doctor-racial-profiling.html -Damon Tweedy, “What It's Like to Be a Black Man in Medical School”: https://time.com/4044851/black-man-in-a-white-coat/ -Reynolds, “When a Family Requests a White Doctor.”

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Mon 10 Feb

Being Black in medicine: Seeking care

Before class, take the Race IAT at: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/ Before class, read: -Jason Glenn, “Making Crack Babies: Race Discourse and the Biologization of Behavior.” -Kelly Knight, “Reproductive (In)justice — Two Patients with Avoidable Poor Reproductive Outcomes -Jonathan Metzl, “Race and Mental Health.”

Wed 12 Feb

HIV, yesterday and today

Collaborative Reading: 1) Linda Villarosa, “America’s Hidden H.I.V. Epidemic.” 2) Stephanie Nolen, Intro to 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa

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Mon 17 Feb NO CLASS President’s Day Holiday


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Wed 19 Feb

HIV and stigma

Before class, read: -Phil Hutchinson and Rageshri Dhairyawan, “Shame, Stigma, HIV” -Rafael Campo, “Alternative Medicine” Before class, listen to at least one hour of: -UofU Professor Elizabeth Clement’s interview with Bill Olson https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aeylV4Fu3nY5DukPPVSqdJ3JniPJ7b4R/view

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Mon 24 Feb

Disability, yesterday and today

Before class, read: -Robert Murphy, “Love and Dependency.” -Jonathan Mack, “The Right Way to Be Crippled and Naked.” -Nancy Mairs, “Carnal Acts.” -Elizabeth Clair, “How to Talk to a New Lover About Cerebral Palsy.” Before class, watch Stella Young’s TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/stella_young_i_m_not_your_inspiration_thank_you_very_much/transcript?language=en

Wed 26 Feb

Hearing loss or deaf gain?

Before class, read: -Mundy, “A World of their Own.” -John Lee Clark, ASL poetry Before class, watch scenes from Deaf Jam: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcwP8ZxpbyI -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muEIiErm0J4 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYw9lWYkYVc&t=28s -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jnludpN78Q

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Mon 2 Mar

Invisible disabilities and neuro-diversity

Before Class, read: -After scrolling through all of the article titles at the Unseen Zine, choose one and read it carefully. Prepare to tell us about it in class: https://www.invisibledisabilityproject.org/unseen-zine -Alan Jasanoff, “Beyond the Broken Brain.” -A graphic memoir selection/excerpt—instructions given in class prior to today.


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Wed 4 Mar

Intro to images and iconography of medicine and illness

NO Reading Due: Illness Narrative Essay *Introduction to Utah Museum of Fine Arts assignment *Choose topic for Mon 23 March. Options include: Cross-cultural perspectives on disease; Women’s bodies, STDs, and sexual “dysfunction”; Big pharma and the development of medications for mental illness; Vaccination, phobia, and individual rights. If you have a topic that you would like to propose, let me know BY MONDAY of this week.

9-13 Mar NO CLASS

**************************Spring Break**************************

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Mon 16 Mar NO CLASS Utah Museum of Fine Arts assignment – visit on your own

Wed 18 Mar

Images of illness and medicine

Due: UMFA assignment *Introduce Final Un-Essay Assignment (Due Mon 20 April)

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Mon 23 Mar

TBD, student choice Reading TBD.

Wed 25 Mar

Theatre in the medical humanities

Theatre workshop Guest instructor: Lynn Deboeck, Department of Theatre, University of Utah. Reading TBD.

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Mon 30 Mar

Cancer, yesterday and today Readings TBA


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Wed 1 April

BRCA and cancer fears

Guest instructor: Allan Borst, Department of English, University of Utah Before class, read: -Angelina Jolie Pitt, “My Medical Choice,” 2013. -Jolie Pitt, “Diary of a Surgery,” 2015.

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Mon 6 April

Gender and sex in medicine Readings TBA

Wed 8 April

Intro to Bioethics Readings TBA

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Mon 13 April

Bioethics debates Instructions given in class prior to today

Wed 15 April

Building a better human? Readings TBA

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Mon 20 April

Student presentations No reading assignment In class: Presentation report

FINALS WEEK

Wed 29 April 8-10 am

NO Final Exam

Student presentations No reading assignment In class: Presentation report

Documents

HUM 2250 DraftSyllabus · 6) Bioethics Debate Preparation: 15 pts On Monday 13 April, we will hold in-class debates on two bioethical issues. Your preparation for these debates will